


Nobody can do it like a steam train

by Fandom_Trash_Goblin



Series: Stex drabbles [8]
Category: Starlight Express - Phillips/Stilgoe/Webber
Genre: Death, Mentions of Violence, im sorry, it is sad, mentions of rape/non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:07:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29597382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandom_Trash_Goblin/pseuds/Fandom_Trash_Goblin
Summary: The Rusty backstory
Relationships: Rusty and original characters
Series: Stex drabbles [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2122296
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	Nobody can do it like a steam train

The job was simple: See if the new load of Junkers had any bits that could be used to repair those with less serious ailments. At least that’s what Lucky, an old and damaged steam engine, was supposed to be doing. He’d found many things while looking, but never something like this...

“Oh my Starlight...” Lucky gasped. There, mixed within piles and piles of scrapped trains, was a small steamer. It couldn’t have been older than 7.

“What?” A tired voice called out from beside him. It belonged to Frost, an old refrigerated boxcar who’s freezer was always leaking water these days and had a decent chunk of his back missing. 

“It’s a Trainling.” Lucky breathed, moving some body parts and bits of metal from around the small frame.

“Poor thing.” Frost shook his head, “Age of steam just ended...must have thrown him out cause they got the new diesels in...wonder if they scrapped his parents too...” 

“And he’s got Ruster’s Disease.” Lucky noted, seeing how the young steamer was covered head to toe in rust, “That probably had something to do with it.”

“Pull it out,” Frost sighed, “Let’s see if it’s still active.” The humans apparently couldn’t be bothered to do their job, as many scrapped trains weren’t even fully dead by the time they arrived in the scrapyard. They’d either be welcomed in by the other Scraps or not found and left to suffer until they fizzled out like all Scraps eventually would. 

Lucky obliged, gently pulling the little steam train from the rubble. He put a hand to its firebox. Oh. It was faintly warm.

“It is.” Lucky nodded. It was a bittersweet reveal. It was nice to know that he hadn’t been handing a dead Trainling. But Trainlings never lived long in Scrapyards. While adult trains could survive with no oil, fuel, coal, or food for quite some time (Not comfortably, but still), Trainlings couldn’t survive without those things for more than a few days, and there were no Scraps that could feed it.

“Way I see it,” Frost started, “Got three options: Leave it here to fizzle out, Crush its firebox so its suffering ends, or take it to Hammer and see if he can help.” 

“I ain’t crushing its firebox and I ain’t doing nothing.” Lucky stated.

“Alright, lets get it to Hammer.” Frost decided.

The journey to their clearing didn’t take long, but it felt like hours. Both Lucky and Frost had fears for the small steamer. Why was it here? What happened to its parents? Would it even survive through the night?

When they entered their clearing they were approached by Clarabelle, an old milk truck who always smelled rather sour in these times and was missing an eye. “Did y’all find anything useful- oh!” She gasped in surprise when she saw the small steamer Lucky was carrying.

“Poor thang...” Clarabelle said, gently brushing some rubble from its cheek with her thumb. 

“Where’s Hammer?” Frost asked.

“Ah think he’s with Poppy.” Clarabelle pointed to a path through the scrap. 

Lucky and Frost murmured a thanks to her before skating through the path. They eventually found Hammer sitting by the motionless body of a magenta caboose who had a hole in her chest.

Hammer looked up upon their arrival, “She fizzled out.” He explained briefly, reaching over to close her eyelids. He gave a sad look to her body before standing up and addressing the two visitors, “What can I do for you?”

“Found a Trainling, firebox’s worm, can you help it?” Frost said simply, pointing to the steamer in Lucky’s arm. 

“Of course.” Hammer said softly as Lucky set down the steam train on the table.

“He’s got Ruster’s Disease...and he’s definitely a runt...” Hammer said quietly as he opened up the little steamer’s back to find its controls.

“Just a minute...” Hammer muttered, flicking a switch within the Trainling and closing up its back.

The Trainling twitched a little, everyone held their breath. Those breaths were released when the little steamer coughed and opened its eyes.

“Mama?” It coughed out, looking around in confusion.

“Sorry, kid...your mama ain’t here.” Lucky sighed. 

“What’s your name?” Hammer asked.

“I don’t have one...” The little steamer sniffled.

“How about we call you...Rusty?” Frost suggested.

“Really? Don’t go for the obvious, Frost.” Hammer rolled his eyes.

“I like it.” The newly-dubbed Rusty said quietly. 

“How do you feel?” Hammer asked, “I can tell you’re low on coal.”

“I’m cold...” Rusty coughed once more.

“Here.” Lucky said, opening his firebox and plucking a piece of coal to offer to the young engine. Despite having very little left himself, he was never one to turn down a fellow steamer in need. 

“Thank you...” Rusty mumbled, taking the coal and setting it into his empty firebox.

“Rusty, do you know why they scrapped you?” Hammer asked. 

Rusty sniffled, “Mama didn’t like me cause I’m small and my skin’s wrong...” 

“Your skin isn’t ‘wrong’. Yes, you have a condition and yes, it can’t be cured, But it’s something you can live a completely normal life with.” Hammer explained, “And you may be small but I’m sure you’ll grow. Nobody stays small forever.” 

“I guess...” Rusty shrugged.

“You should probably skate around a bit, make your fire burn a little hotter. But go slow, don’t wanna burn out too fast.” Hammer advised. 

From that night, Rusty became a member of the scrapyard. Despite being rather weak, he was smart and fast and everyone fell in love with him.

One day, when Lucky and Frost gave him permission to explore, he ended up in a very decrepit part of the scrapyard.

“Hey, little steamer...” A chair car missing his legs and a hole in his belly smiled sadly, “Whats your name?”

“Rusty.” Rusty nodded.

“I’m Bench...what’s such a young train like you doing in a place like this?” He asked.

“I’m a Scrap.” Rusty tilted his head, “Aren’t you a scrap?” 

Loud, ragged laughter sounded from beside the chair car. It was a steam engine who’s firebox was broken open and leaking steam.

“Don’t be silly, kid. We ain’t Scraps, we’re Junkers. We’re fizzling out, this is the place where Scraps go to become Junkers...where Scraps go to die.” He cackled, steam rising from the corners of his mouth.

“He’s a kid, Charcoal.” Bench snapped, “Don’t talk like that.”

Charcoal snorted, making a heavy amount of steam come out of his nose, “Kid has to learn eventually. This is where every Scrap ends up, especially steamers. We may have been grand and mighty once, but...” A look of sadness flashed on his face, “We ain’t made to last. Like me: I was a champion once, but all it took was a diesel beating me in one race and suddenly I was garbage. Everyone here has a sad story to tell.” 

“Boxy over here,” Charcoal jerked his thumb in the direction of a sad looking boxcar who’s mouth looked like someone forced it to open too much, “got derailed and declared unfixable cause his jaw got snapped. It was an easy fix but they didn’t wanna waste time.”

“I didn’t give the winning engine a kiss on the cheek.” Bench began his story, “Just because I was his racing partner didn’t mean I had to. He beat the snot out of me and they didn’t wanna waste any money so here I am.” 

Rusty looked to his left to see a young, traumatized-looking diesel with both arms ripped off, he was sitting on the ground and rocking back and forth. “What happened to you?” He asked quietly.

The diesel looked up before quickly averting his eyes to the ground and continuing to rock.

“That’s Hurricane,” Bench said quietly, “Some bigger diesels were bought by his yard and they decided to mess him up...grabbed his arms and pulled as much as they could...they were trying to have fun...” He muttered. 

“Even diesels ain’t safe from diesels.” Charcoal spat, “Kid won’t even look us in the eyes for more than a few seconds...they did him so wrong.” He shook his head and leaned in close to Bench, “If you ask me, those jerkasses took advantage of him...” he whispered, trying to not let Rusty hear. 

Bench nodded in agreement before turning back to Rusty, “All of us aren’t too far from joining the Starlight Express...it’s bittersweet, I don’t want us to suffer anymore...I can feel myself fizzling out.”

“I’m going too...I ain’t had a piece of coal in days and I can barely breathe.” Charcoal let out a breathy laugh before going into a coughing fit. Black steam came out of his mouth and he hacked up some black gunk. 

“If we fizzle out, we’ll have something waiting for us and we’ll be fixed. I’ll be able to skate again, Charcoal will be able to breathe without hacking up a lung, Boxy will be able to talk, and Hurricane will have his arms back...We’ll all be okay once we’re there.” Bench smiled sadly.

“You should get out of here, kid.” Charcoal spoke up, “Bench is about to go and the rest of us won’t be too far off...” 

“Let him stay if he wants, Charcoal...” Bench murmured before looking at the young steamer, “Tell ya what, if you ever end up in the stars, say hi to us. Got it?” 

Rusty nodded.

“Good boy.” Bench smiled a little, “I’m glad I got to meet you, Rusty.” He took a final breath or two and his body went limp.

“Bench...” Charcoal sighed, reaching a shaking arm over to close the chair cars eyes. Hurricane looked over once before turning away and Boxy sighed heavily.

“Get on out of here, Rusty...” Charcoal turned to him, “You’re too young to be here.” 

Rusty didn’t have to be told twice.

Later that day (They go out at night since it’s safer and they sleep during the day), when Rusty was asleep, the Scraps were having a talk.

“My freezer isn’t even leaking water anymore, Hammer, All of me is shutting down!” Frost cried out.

“Ah can barely see out of mah good eye now! Ah’m fizzling out!” Clarabelle shuddered.

“You act like I’m not dying, too!” Hammer scoffed, “My systems are shutting off, same as yours!”

“We ought to all join the Junkers...” Frost sighed.

“What about Rusty? He’s pretty much in tip top shape! We can’t leave him alone!” Lucky spoke up.

“Lucky, I’m sorry to say it but...” Hammer let out a breath, “The most merciful option for him would be to let him fizzle out with us...” 

“No! Rusty’s too young for that, I can’t let him die!” Lucky shook his head.

“We can’t keep him here! The boy can’t look through bodies to find coal by himself! What if more Scraps come? What if they’re diesels!?” Clarabelle voiced her concerns. 

Lucky thought for a moment, “The Apollo Victoria Yard is still in the East, right?”

“Yes, it’s always been in the East.” Frost raised a brow.

“I’ll take him there, or at least as far as I can. That place has got to have some steamers kicking around, they’ve always kept retired trains. I won’t let Rusty fizzle out.” Lucky had felt an intense need to protect the young steamer since he was the one to find him. 

“Lucky...you won’t make it ten feet out of the scrapyard. Your firebox is dying and your wheels aren’t doing good.” Hammer shook his head. 

“I don’t care...I’m taking Rusty to The Apollo Victoria. If none of us make it out of here...then we can at least go to the stars knowing that we helped someone.” Lucky stated.

The next night, Lucky woke Rusty up.

“C’mon, Rusty...we’re leaving.” Lucky let the small train couple to him.

“I can’t say I agree with this, but I hope you make it.” Frost nodded.

“You two take care of each other now.” Clarabelle said firmly.

“If you get back, we’ll be with the Junkers.” Hammer said sadly. 

It wasn’t an easy trip. It took all night to get to the edge of the scrapyard, and by the time...it became clear Lucky wasn’t going to make it.

“Rusty...uncouple.” Lucky sighed. Once Rusty uncoupled him, he sat down against some scrap.

“I can’t go on...” Lucky huffed, his firebox was dying.

“But...I need you!” Rusty cried.

“I know, kid...But I’m too old and too tired to go any further...I’ll just sow you down.” Lucky shook his head.

“No! We’re going together! You can couple to me!” Rusty tried pulling Lucky back to his feet, but the small steamer failed.

“I appreciate the effort,” Lucky let out a dry laugh, “But it okay...this is a nice place to fizzle out.” 

“But...You-you can’t die!” Rusty yelled, tears falling down his rusted cheeks, “You’re supposed to go with me!”

“Rusty.” Lucky grabbed his hand, “I’ll hold you back...you need to keep going. I know it’s upsetting, but don’t worry: It doesn’t matter what happens, I’ll be watching you from the stars. You’re gonna grow up and win races and work with freight...you’re gonna make us Scraps proud and you’re gonna have a nice long life...here...” he opened his firebox and pulled out what coal he had left (It was barely a handful) and he put it in Rusty’s firebox.

“But...I’ll miss you!” Rusty sobbed, leaping forwards and hugging Lucky.

Lucky wrapped his arms around the steamers small frame, “I know, Rusty, I know...”

The sun was rising. It was time for Rusty to go.

“Rusty...you need to go. Keep going East and you’ll find The Apollo Victoria. You’ll find a steamer called Old Ramblin’ McCoy. Tell him Lucky O’ Day sent you.”

“What if I can’t find him?” Rusty asked.

Lucky took off his hat and plopped it on Rusty’s head. He smiled a tad at how big it was on the tiny engine, “Just keep going...you’ll make it. Nobody can do it like a steam train, Rusty.” Lucky chuckled.

“Goodbye, Lucky...” Rusty said shakily.

“Bye, Rusty...you’ll make it. I can tell.” Lucky leaned his head against the scrap. He was ready to go.

Rusty turned away and skated. He would find The Apollo Victoria. For Lucky.

**Author's Note:**

> I cried. Also, Rusty doesn’t have a hat in the later shows because the hat he got from Lucky was getting worn and he doesn’t want to lose it so he put it away. And yes, the scrapyard is based somewhat on Jericho from Detroit Become Human. And yes again, Clarabelle the milk truck was named after Clarabelle Cow from Mickey Mouse.


End file.
